PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR OF IRELAND 2027
Discover Ireland Through Your Lens
May 24–28, 2027 · 5 days · maximum of 6 participants
A fully organized photography tour through Dublin, the Wicklow Mountains, the lesser-known inland regions, and the Irish coast
Taking photos in a place that makes you see things differently
Some journeys take you to a new destination. Others change the way you see things.
This 5-day photography trip to Ireland is neither a standard group tour nor a traditional photography course. “Ireland Through Your Lens” is a small-group photography experience for people who want to experience Ireland, further develop their photography skills, and learn to observe with greater attention.
From May 24 through 28, 2027, we’ll be staying in Dublin. From our base there, we’ll photograph the city, travel to the Wicklow Mountains, and discover places off the beaten path. We’ll seek out the character of Ireland: old streets, rugged landscapes, shifting light, encounters, details, and stories you don’t see when you’re just traveling from one sight to the next.
You don't have to be a professional photographer. You also don't need to own the most expensive camera. Curiosity, attention to detail, and a willingness to see things differently are much more important.
During this photography trip, you’ll work on street photography, landscape photography, composition, lighting, and storytelling. You’ll receive daily assignments, personalized guidance, and specific feedback on your photos. But there will also be plenty of time to explore Ireland, eat together, and enjoy whatever unfolds along the way.
A maximum of six participants. No large group, no rushed schedule, and no photography from the sidelines. Instead, personal attention, inspiring locations, and five days where photography and experience come together.
Why Ireland?
Why Ireland Is So Special for Photographers
Ireland isn’t easily captured in a single image. The landscape is constantly changing. Sunshine can give way to rain, fog, or dark clouds in a matter of minutes. A seemingly tranquil view suddenly takes on depth. A wet street turns into a mirror. An old facade, a deserted road, or an encounter in a pub can tell just as much as an impressive landscape.
It is precisely these changing conditions that make Ireland interesting for photographers.
You won’t find perfectly predictable light there. You have to learn to look at whatever presents itself in the moment. Sometimes it’s a brief ray of light between the clouds. Sometimes it’s a silhouette on a street. Sometimes it’s a small detail that you only notice when you stop looking for the spectacular.
On this photography tour through Ireland, you’ll learn more than just how to photograph beautiful places. You’ll learn to respond to light, conditions, and events that you can’t fully plan for.
Light that is constantly changing
Irish light can be soft, dramatic, bright, and mysterious. The combination of the ocean, clouds, and rapidly changing weather creates a type of light that constantly lends a different character to landscapes and cities.
That takes more than just the right camera settings. It requires you to learn to recognize when a situation becomes interesting. That’s why, during the trip, we’ll practice not only with exposure, but especially with anticipating the light.
Landscapes with Depth and Character
The Wicklow Mountains feature valleys, lakes, mountains, forests, and historic sites. Still, landscape photography isn't just about capturing a sweeping view.
You’ll learn to look for a clear foreground, natural lines, rhythm, scale, and a subject that gives the image meaning. Sometimes, less is actually more. A solitary tree, a winding road, or a building in the landscape can convey more than a photo in which everything is visible at once.
Dublin as a Setting for Street Photography
Dublin is lively, historic, and unpolished. Modern architecture, old facades, street musicians, cafés, markets, and passersby all coexist there.
During our street photography workshop, you’ll learn how to work with timing, distance, and spontaneity. You’ll look for contrast, reflections, lines, and human moments. This isn’t about just randomly photographing people. We’ll look for images in which the setting, light, and moment come together to tell a story.
Stories Off the Beaten Path
On day four, we once again veer off the beaten path. We seek out smaller towns and landscapes where everyday Ireland comes into view.
Here, photography is all about storytelling. Not just a single postcard, but a series of images that, together, tell a story about a place. A street scene, a detail, a portrait, a landscape, and an everyday moment can come together to form a story that goes beyond the typical vacation photo.
What You'll Learn During the Photography Trip
Over the course of five days, you’ll work on various forms of photography. The topics are interconnected. Light, composition, timing, and storytelling are recurring themes.
Learning to See Things Differently
Many people glance quickly. They spot a beautiful view, grab their camera, and take a picture right away. But the first composition is rarely the strongest one.
On this journey, you’ll first learn to observe:
What catches my attention?
Why do I want to photograph this?
Where is the main light located?
What can I leave out of the picture?
Which position creates more depth?
What do I want the viewer to see first?
What story does this image tell?
By asking yourself these questions, you'll take photos more thoughtfully and come home with fewer random shots.
Building a Composition
Composition rules are useful, but they aren't laws. The rule of thirds, leading lines, repetition, symmetry, and negative space help you create structure.
Above all, you'll learn to understand why a composition works.
We'll look at balance, direction of gaze, image edges, layers, and the relationship between the subject and its surroundings. You'll also learn to recognize when it's appropriate to deviate from a well-known rule of composition.
Recognizing Light
Light doesn't just determine whether a photo is bright enough. Light determines atmosphere, depth, direction, and emotion.
You'll learn to look at:
soft and hard light;
backlight and side light;
contrast;
reflections;
shadows;
light during cloudy and rainy weather;
the golden hour and the blue hour;
brief moments when the landscape changes.
The goal is for you to learn to see the light sooner, so you don't realize only after the fact what was possible.
Street Photography with More Confidence
Street photography can feel uncomfortable. You have to react quickly, be mindful of other people, and accept that you can't control everything.
In Dublin, we focus on observing, positioning, and anticipating. You’ll learn to read a situation before the decisive moment arises. This means you won’t have to react as hastily.
Respect for the environment and the people we photograph is always our top priority.
Landscape Photography That Makes an Impact
A beautiful landscape doesn't necessarily make for a great landscape photo. Your camera captures everything within the frame, while you also experience the sounds, the wind, the space, and the atmosphere when you're there.
You will therefore learn how to translate a landscape into a two-dimensional image. We’ll work with the foreground, middle ground, and background, as well as with simplicity, scale, and visual weight.
Whenever conditions allow, we focus on longer shutter speeds, movement in clouds or water, and the use of a tripod.
Storytelling with a single photo or a series
A photograph can capture what was there. A powerful image also conveys a sense of what happened.
During the trip, you’ll explore how subject, light, moment, and context work together. On day four, we’ll also create a short photo series. You’ll learn to select images that complement each other rather than repeating the same story over and over.
Critical Selection
Taking more photos doesn't automatically mean you'll come home with more good shots.
Selecting images is an art. You learn to look for technical quality, emotional impact, repetition, and coherence. Sometimes a technically imperfect image is still the strongest image of the day, because the moment and the story are compelling.
The Program
Itinerary for the 5-day photography trip to Ireland
The itinerary has been carefully planned, but Ireland doesn't always go according to plan. We may adjust the order or exact locations depending on the weather, lighting, and local conditions.
That's not a limitation. It's just part of taking photos in Ireland.
Day 1 — Arrival in Dublin
After we arrive, we'll travel together to our hotel in downtown Dublin. You'll have time to check in and settle in at your own pace.
After that, we’ll get to know each other. Over a drink, we’ll discuss the itinerary, your experience, and what you’d like to work on during the trip.
We'll wrap up the first day with a group dinner. The camera doesn't have to take center stage just yet. First, we'll get to know the group we'll be traveling and learning with over the next few days.
Day 2 — Street Photography in Dublin
The second day is all about Dublin.
After breakfast, we’ll start with a short master class on street photography, observation, timing, lighting, and storytelling. Then we’ll head out into the city.
We don't just visit the well-known sights. It's the streets, bridges, markets, building facades, and everyday moments that truly reveal Dublin's character.
You'll be given various assignments throughout the day. Among other things, we'll be working on:
lines and graphic compositions;
reflections;
human moments;
contrast between old and new;
photographing in crowded situations;
telling a story with a single image.
In the evening, each participant selects a limited number of photos. During dinner, we discuss the work and collectively choose the photo of the day.
Day 3 — Landscape Photography in the Wicklow Mountains
On day three, we'll leave Dublin and drive to the Wicklow Mountains.
This area is also known as the Garden of Ireland. The landscape consists of mountains, valleys, lakes, forests, and historic sites. Depending on the weather and lighting, we’ll choose the locations that offer the best photographic opportunities at that moment.
The topics for today include:
landscape composition;
create depth;
working with the foreground;
minimalism;
light and weather conditions;
capture movement;
use slow shutter speeds whenever possible;
to examine a location from different perspectives.
We take our time. No quick photo stop where everyone has to get back on the bus right away. You’ll have plenty of time to look around, experiment, and rework your composition.
After returning to Dublin, we'll have dinner together and discuss the photos we selected from the day.
Day 4 — The Other Ireland and the Coast in the Evening Light
On day four, we'll explore Ireland off the beaten path.
We visit distinctive places and observe daily life. This day is all about storytelling and creating a cohesive series.
You don't just photograph the most striking subjects. You also look for details, atmosphere, people, traces of the past, and elements that tell a story about the place where you are.
Later that day, we’ll drive toward the coast. There, we’ll wait for the evening light and observe how the landscape changes as the sun sinks lower in the sky.
The weather will determine what the evening is like. Maybe we’ll have warm sunshine. Or maybe dramatic clouds, wind, or rain. We’ll make the most of whatever Ireland has to offer.
During the closing dinner, we’ll discuss the day’s final photos and look back on each participant’s progress as a photographer.
Day 5 — Review, Personal Feedback, and Departure
After breakfast, we'll take some time to look back on the trip.
Each participant will receive personalized feedback and practical tips to help them continue developing their skills at home. We’ll discuss not only which images are strong, but especially why they work and how you can continue to apply this way of looking at things.
You'll receive a certificate of participation and return home with new images, new insights, and likely some new contacts as well.
But the most important thing is that you don't just see Ireland in a different light.
You see what's happening around you in a different light.
What Makes This Trip Different
Every evening brings a new learning opportunity
Once the camera is put away, perhaps the most important part of the day begins.
During dinner, we’ll look at and discuss a small selection of the photos we’ve taken. Each participant will make a deliberate choice, so we won’t have to scroll through hundreds of images.
We explore questions such as:
What is this photo really about?
Where does my eye go first?
Does the lighting support the story?
Are there any unnecessary distractions?
Would a different perspective have been more effective?
Which photo from the series really adds something?
Why does one image move us more than another?
These discussions are open, respectful, and practical. It’s not about right or wrong. It’s about learning to recognize what makes a photo compelling.
As a result, you'll learn not only from your own work, but also from the images and choices of the other participants.
Every evening, we choose a "Photo of the Day" together. The photographer receives a small prize, and the photo may be shared on the BAKKM Photography website and social media channels, with the photographer’s permission.
After that……….. Guinness
Who is this trip for?
This trip is right for you if:
enjoys photography and wants to continue developing your skills;
If you want to experience Ireland in a different way than on a standard tour;
considers personalized guidance important;
enjoys traveling in a small group;
is open to feedback and inspiration;
want to learn not only technique, but also composition and storytelling;
want to consciously take the time to experience a place;
travels alone, but enjoys being part of a group;
want to go home with more powerful images and a different perspective.
You don't need to have years of photography experience. Beginners and advanced amateur photographers are welcome.
This trip is less suitable if your main goal is to check off as many tourist highlights as possible in five days, if you’re not interested in group photo reviews, or if you prefer to travel exclusively on your own.
How fit do you need to be?
During the photography days, we’ll be walking through Dublin and around outdoor locations. You don’t have to be an elite athlete, but a normal level of fitness and reasonably good mobility are important.
Conditions may be uneven, wet, or muddy. Sturdy hiking boots and clothing suitable for changeable Irish weather are essential.
Your photographer and tour guide
My name is Marcel Bakker, photographer and founder of BAKKM Photography.
Photography has taught me to look at the world differently. Not faster, but more mindfully. Not just at the grand and spectacular, but also at the details, people, light, and stories that are easily overlooked.
To me, Ireland is more than just a photogenic destination. It’s a country where light, landscape, history, and everyday life are constantly intertwined. Every trip reveals something new to me.
During Ireland Through Your Lens, I’ll take you to places I’ve deliberately chosen for their photographic potential. I’ll share my experience with landscape photography, street photography, fine art, composition, and storytelling. But I won’t simply tell you which photo to take.
Together with my wife, I'll help you discover what you see.
My goal isn't for you to come home with thousands of photos. My goal is for you to learn to make better choices, be more selective, and photograph more mindfully.
Technique certainly plays a role in this. But technique is never the ultimate goal. The most beautiful images are created when technique, light, emotion, and story come together.
What's included in the photography tour?
The tour price includes:
round-trip flight to Dublin;
four nights at a hotel in downtown Dublin;
transportation between Dublin Airport and the hotel;
daily breakfast;
a packed lunch and a drink during the photography days;
four group dinners;
two drinks during each group dinner;
transportation during the photography days;
transportation to and from the airport;
all admission fees for the program;
personalized photography coaching;
daily master classes and hands-on assignments;
daily image reviews;
prize for the photographer of the photo of the day;
certificate of participation;
BAKKM Photography Welcome Pack;
preparation and organization of the entire program.
Not included
travel and cancellation insurance;
personal expenses;
additional purchases not included in the program;
any costs incurred as a result of personal changes;
photographic equipment and personal luggage.
Review this section very carefully. Everything you list here must fully correspond to the contract, your terms and conditions, and what you actually provide.
Investment
Investing in Your Photography Trip to Ireland
The standard tour price is:
€2,895 per person
If you make a reservation by December 31, 2026, at the latest, the early-bird rate applies:
€2,595 per person
The price is based on a group of at least four and no more than six people.
A deposit of €1,000 secures your spot. The remaining balance must be paid no later than eight weeks before departure.
The trip will proceed with a minimum of four participants. If the trip is canceled due to an insufficient number of participants, you will receive a full refund of your deposit in accordance with the terms and conditions.
These terms and conditions apply to this trip and all of our workshops and masterclasses. Click the button below to view these terms and conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You don't have to be an experienced photographer. Both beginners and advanced amateur photographers are welcome to participate. Where possible, the instruction will be tailored to your skill level and areas for improvement. Curiosity and a willingness to practice are more important than prior technical knowledge.
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You can participate using an SLR camera, a mirrorless camera, or a high-quality compact camera. Bring equipment that you’re comfortable working with. You don’t need a full set of professional gear.
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Our program is so well-designed that it's perfectly possible to participate using your phone.
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On several days, we’ll be walking for several hours, spread out over the course of the day. In Dublin, we’ll walk through the city. In the Wicklow Mountains, trails may be uneven, wet, or muddy. A normal level of fitness and appropriate footwear are important.
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Yes. It’s precisely because of the small group size that personal connections form quickly. You’ll travel on your own to the group meeting point, but from the start of the program, we’ll do most of the activities together.
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I'm trying to get everyone on the same flight so that everyone sits next to each other or nearby. I'll be flying a day earlier and will meet you in Dublin.
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The tour price is based on a shared double room. A small surcharge applies for a single room.
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The general terms and conditions and cancellation policy apply to all bookings. Please read them carefully before making a reservation. We strongly recommend that you purchase adequate travel and cancellation insurance.
